Signal Hill Whiskey is a Canadian whiskey made from a blend of corn whiskey and malt whiskey. The corn whiskey is distilled in a double column, and the malt whiskey in a traditional pot still. After distillation, the two whiskey types are mixed and stored in 3 different casks: new American white oak casks, first fill ex-bourbon casks and Canadian whiskey casks.
Colour: Amber.
Nose: A perfectly balanced full-flavored whisky, with a delicate blend of subtle raisins and dried plums complimented by sweet cream sherry, English toffee, vanilla, honey, soft oak and a touch of spice.
Tasting notes: Sweet on the tongue at first, followed by bittersweet cocoa, subtle notes of leather and pipe tobacco. Raisins and dried plums fill the middle. Creamsherry, tea, molasses and mild oak in the finish
Serving suggestion: Enjoy it plain, possibly with a few drops of water, or in your favorite whiskey cocktail.
Signal Hill has a place in our collective histories, from Cape Town to Kowloon, California to Newfoundland. It was here that the ships were given safe passage into ports. This is where fires were lit to signal between villages. It is here that the world’s first transatlantic wireless signal was received in Morse Code, and the site of the first non-stop transatlantic airmail flight. It is these historical embodiments of connection and communication that inspire the making of our whisky. Where is your Signal Hill?
Situated on the highest peak adjacent to one of North America’s earliest used ports, Signal Hill was a natural place to establish a lookout with roots in history that go as far back as the 17th century. It is this fort that carries the stories of past stories; a place of innovation and a place of connection. Bottled in St. John’s within sight of Signal Hill (weather permitting, of course), it is our whiskey that sustains these connections now and tomorrow.
Where we are in a bottle represents a collection of great historical moments that represent a spirit of connection. On December 12, 1901, Signal Hill received the first reported transatlantic wireless transmission by Guglielmo Marconi. He set up his receiver in an abandoned hospital located on the cliff facing Europe at the top of Signal Hill, hoping to receive a signal from his Poldhu Wireless Station in Cornwall, UK. As Marconi listened through his telephone headset, he heard a series of three “beeps” – Morse code for the letter S. This is where history was made, proof that communication over great distances was possible.
Look for the Morse code on our bottle.
It was in St. John’s, Newfoundland, that the first non-stop transatlantic airmail flight departed. On 14 June 1919, the British aviators, Alcock and Brown, boarded the Vickers aircraft and took off from Lester’s Field, landing in Galway the very next day. During their journey, the electric heating suits failed, the pilots were forced to endure the cold temperatures in the open cockpit. As a means of heating their coffee was spiked with what else but whiskey!
Wineland, you may know it as Newfoundland, was the site of the first Canadian landing for the northerners. It was 1,000 years ago that Leif Erikson and his Viking crew set foot on Canada’s shores, bringing Norse mythology with them. Their culture has remained through the valknut symbol – a symbol of their Viking god Odin and the kingdom of Valhalla where he ruled.
Our logo is inspired by this Old Norse symbol. The three interlocking triangles hold a great deal of meaning and have often been associated with various trinities. For us, it connects the three most vital parts of our whisky: the grains, the water and the barrels. Signal Hill lies at the heart of our Trinity, which will forever stand as a symbol of the human spirit’s desire for connection.
